Month: December 2019

Newer 4RM

My outer pecs are sore, probably from the 100 diamond push-ups I did on Sunday. Out in the garage by 4pm with Kevin.

Bench Press

  • 2x6x45#
  • 6×135
  • 3×185
  • 2×215
  • 2×230
  • 4×245
  • 4×250
  • 4×255
  • 2×265
  • 2×270
  • 1×275

This turned out to be a lot of sets when adding the extra doubles or singles after the working sets. In the last cycle I did 240-245-240 for my working sets. Today sets another new 4RM, beating the 250# I set a few weeks ago. If I had gotten 2×275 that would have matched my 2RM, but I didn’t even attempt the second rep. The doubles with 265 and 270 are better than the 260 I was able to get in the final week of last cycle. Curious to see what I can get for 4×2 next week.

Accessory

4 Sets

  • 15 Banded Tricep Press-downs (Fat Gripz)
  • 10 Pendlay Rows (115#)

After standing up for the first set of pull-downs, I kneeled for the rest and they were still pretty easy. The rows felt easy as well.

Bigger T2B Sets

I got over 9 hours of sleep last night, but not enough of the correct type due to having a few beers to end my holiday vacation.

Warm-up

  • 2:00 Row (550m)
  • 2 Rounds
    • World’s Greatest Stretch
    • 10 Air Squats
    • 10 PVC Passes

Strength

Back Squat

  • 10×45#
  • 6×115
  • 3×165
  • 2×205
  • 2×235
  • 2×255
  • 20×185

It’s going to be Super Squats Monday for the month. I have to be smart about it though. I haven’t had 255 on my back since last December, but it felt pretty good. Figured I’d start pretty conservative for the 20 reps, but even that wasn’t easy. Far cry from my best of 20×285!

Conditioning

15:00 EMOM (alt)

  • 5 Front Squats (165#, from ground)
  • 15 cal Echo Bike
  • 15 T2B

I wore a belt and grips the entire time. I went 8-7 on every round of toes to bars, which is a big win. The bike got real nasty, but I got the 15 calories one each time.

Good Day for a Ski…Erg

On Friday my forearms were sore from all of the swings. I really needed the rest day yesterday after doing some kind of workout 12 days straight. Last night I drove home late from up north because of storms rolling in overnight. No heading to the gym today due to the ice storm and then snow on top of it. Went out to the garage around 11am.

Conditioning

15 Rounds

  • 30s Ski Erg
  • 1:00 Rest

It was snowing, so I might as well ski, right? I didn’t bother to heat up the garage, so wore a hat, gloves, and bundled up. Was stripping things off by the end though. You can really see the effect of no warm-up, where I thought I wouldn’t be able to hold the pace I went at for the first interval. I’m also not used to the ski erg, which I haven’t used in months and it’s easy to forget how much tougher it is to get up to speed compared to the rower. Settled in on a pretty solid pace.

Accessory

5 Rounds

  • 25 Band Pull Aparts (red)
  • 20 Diamond Push-ups
  • 2:00 Rest

Was controlled on the pull aparts and kept tension on the band. Did 2×10 push-ups every round, though the second ten got tough in round 3. Finished in 13:15.

Midline

Might as well start on some of the back isolation/stability stuff.

3 Sets

  • 10 Curl-ups w/ 2s hold

3 Sets, 2 Sets, 1 Set

  • 20s Side Plank
  • 10s Rest

Do three sets on one side and then three on the other side, rest 1:00, then do two sets per side, rest 1:00, and finally one set per side.

5 Sets

  • 20s RKC Plank
  • 1:00 Rest

During an RKC plank you are trying to create as much tension through the midline and posterior chain as you can be contracting all of those muscles. These get really hard.